Legio Praesagius
The Legio Praesagius, also known by their Cognomen of "The True Messengers" is a Loyalist Titan Legion of the Collegia Titanica. The Legion is foremost known for its venerable status, being amongst the most ancient Legions of the Collegia Titanica still in existence. Most of its engines that have participated in the Great Crusade seem to have survived the terrors of the Age of Strife and only very few Titans have been commissionned since its reunification with the Imperium. The True Messengers are long-standing allies of the Ultramarines Legion with whom they have fought before. This naturally led to their nomination alongside the XIII Legion at the great muster at Calth per the Warmaster's orders. This placed them in a vulnerable position when the World Bearers Legion and the traitorous Legio Suturvora fired the first shot of the Battle of Calth. Legio History Little is known of the history of Legio Praesagius, the Legio being however famed for ther valiant efforts to defend the city of Ithraca on Calth during the Horus Heresy. Notable Campaigns * The Battle of Calth ( Unknown Date M.31) - Ordered to assemble on the landing fields outside the city of Ithraca for subsequent deployement, Legio Praesagius began embarkation alongside their kin from Legio Infernus. Half of the Legio, the Legios Princeps Maximus amongst them were already on board of their transport, the Aratran when the Traitors revealed their hand. One of the first shot of the battle hit the Aratran, the mighty landingship falling from the skies and crashing at the centre of Ithraca. The transport however failed to explode upon impact, thus leaving its precious cargo intact. Meanwhile the surviving True Messengers - after having suffered initial casualties - rallied around the almost unscathed Battlegroup Argentus of Princeps Senioris Mikal. With the Fire Masters almost three times superior in number and holding the high-ground, the Princeps Senioris ordered his Titans to withdraw into the city proper where the high buildings would provide them shelter. The Battle for Ithraca as it would be known afterwards would quickly turn into a race to the wrecked Aratran, both sides having learned that the Titans on board the landingship were still operationnal. With battle engaged nearly across the entire city and the Ultramarines otherwise occupied, it would fall to Legio Praesagius to defend the crash site so that recuperation teams could open the cavernous holds of the Aratran and release its precious cargo. Mikal succeeded both in establishing a security-cordon around the downed Aratran and preventing the Traitors to destroy it. As the gathered might of Legio Suturvora was a mere four kilometers away, the doors of the Aratran finally opened and released Legio Praesagius' most powerful and most experienced fighters, amongst them the Immortalis Domitor of their Princeps Maximus. Thanks to these fresh reinforcements and after a gruesome struggle, the Legio would ultimately free Ithraca and force the World Bearers and their allies to retreat. Notable Titans * Immortalis Domitor - Warmonger-class Titan * Evocatus - Warlord-class Titan, equipped with twin carapace-mounted gatling canons Evocatus would prove a superb tool of destruction against enemy infantry formation trying to hide out in Ithraca's ruined buildings. Sadly Evocatus would perish in Ithraca, long-range fire from the Nemesis-class Revoka of Legio Suturvora. * Inculcator - Reaver-class Titan * Invigilator - Reaver-class Titan. By the time of the Battle for Hive Ithraca which opposed the Legio Praesagius to the Traitors of Legio Infernus, Invigilator had only been recently commissionned, being the sole newly built Titan of Battlegroup Argentus whereas its other God-Machines all predated the launch of the Great Crusade. Invigilator was the command of Princeps Senioris Mikal which would illustre itself in the fight for the city with confirmed kills of the Fire Master-engines Revoka and Denola. * Deathrunner - Warhound-class Scout Titan, equipped with paired Mega-bolters. * Firewolf - Warhound-class Scout Titan * Victorix - Warhound-class Scout Titan Notable Personnel * Princeps Senioris Mikal - The esteemed and battle-hardened Princeps Senioris was the leader of Battlegroup Argentum at the Battle for Hive Ithraca. At the commands of his Reaver Invigilator he would lead the retreat from his Battlegroup and succesfully escape the ambush at the Ithraca Landing Fields. Assuming the death of his Princeps Maximus, Princeps Senioris Mikal would assume command of the remaining Legio Praesagius Titans and seek shelter in the city of Ithraca to better resist teh advance of the Traitor Titans. Through his tenacity he would keep on fighting, eventually slowing down the Legio Infernus-engines long enough for the Immortalis Domitor to enter the fray and turn the battle. * Moderati Skallan Lockhandt - Moderati of Princeps Senioris Mikal on board the Invigilator. Legion Appearance Sources * Honour to the Dead (Short Story) by Gav Thorpe, in Legacies of Betrayal pp. 212-246 Category:L Category:Collegia Titanica Category:Adeptus Mechanicus Category:Imperium Category:Imperial Walkers Category:Walkers